If you're thinking about having a baby through surrogacy, we can help you understand the surrogacy programs available, the cost of surrogacy, and how much you can expect to pay for egg donation. Circle Surrogacy is transparent in their surrogacy costs and offers an all-inclusive cost program for parents to plan financially for their journey.
The cost of surrogacy, is one of the first questions we are asked by intended parents interested in growing their family through surrogacy. In general, you'll find that surrogacy costs can range from around $80,000 to upwards of $200,000.
If you're thinking, "That is a big range! How can I find out how much surrogacy will really cost me?", you're not alone. In order to get a full picture of how much surrogacy will cost, it's important to understand all that goes into making up a surrogacy journey, so the costs are reflective of everything you will need during your journey.
Circle Surrogacy offers one all-inclusive cost program for surrogacy, the Journey Protection Guarantee Program. At Circle, the cost for surrogacy only is $148,750, and for surrogacy and egg donation is $172,750. Understanding what goes into the surrogacy process helps intended parents see the need for professionals and certain surrogacy expenses.
The cost of surrogacy can be put into five (5) categories. The below percentages are approximate and based on our experience managing journeys.
These costs do not include any IVF costs, which are paid directly to the Intended Parents' fertility clinic.
Circle Surrogacy & Egg Donation is the leading surrogacy agency because we always put our Intended Parents’ needs first. Our program and surrogacy costs are structured to achieve two primary goals: success and cost security.
Circle is proud to offer the all-inclusive Journey Protection Guarantee Program, which is designed to help as many Intended Parents as possible bring home a baby while reducing variable costs.
Journey Protection Guarantee Program
Surrogacy only: $148,750
Surrogacy plus egg donation: $172,750
(both prices exclude IVF)
Our Journey Protection Guarantee offers Intended Parents:
The costs outlined above are for our Surrogacy Only and Surrogacy Plus Egg Donation Programs. For more information about the costs of our other programs, please email us or call us at 617.439.9900.
A surrogacy journey consists of many professionals with experience in egg donation and surrogacy – including knowledge of surrogacy laws and contracts, as well as the IVF process. Because the surrogacy process can be complex, intended parents should have a solid team of professionals helping them manage their journey. Intended parents are paying for the professionals' or agency's experience in this ever-evolving field. All of this factors into surrogacy costs.
If you work with a surrogacy agency, you will have to pay a surrogacy agency fee. The agency fee covers many aspects of your surrogacy journey, including:
• Management of your entire journey, from start to finish
• Screening & Matching with your Carrier and Egg Donor
• Journey support
• Trust Account management
• Legal work
• Insurance
Managing a surrogacy journey and all the moving parts can be very time consuming, which is why many intended parents choose to work with – and pay – a surrogacy agency to handle all of the details.
Intended Parents who are wondering how to afford surrogacy and wish to reduce surrogacy costs may opt to do an independent surrogacy journey, in which case they will be responsible for finding their own surrogate, managing the surrogacy process and their journey, coordinating with IVF clinics and local monitoring clinics, and finding their own lawyers to handle legal surrogacy contracts. Please know, pursuing and independent journey does not necessarily mean a cost savings.
Circle offers a reduced-cost program for intended parents who find a surrogate mother on their own. Learn more about our Surrogacy with Your Own Surrogate program.
Surrogate mother costs account for about 55% of total surrogacy costs at Circle Surrogacy. Circle's all inclusive Journey Protection Guarantee Program is designed so that Intended Parents can plan financially for their journey, with no surprise costs along the way. On average, surrogates are paid between $50,000-$60,000 for a surrogacy journey.
The cost of a surrogate can be broken down into the following:
Base compensation. Her base compensation is generally between $30,000-$40,000, and is determined by where the gestational carrier is located, whether or not she has insurance, and if she is an experienced surrogate (experienced carriers will have a higher base compensation). In addition to her base compensation, gestational surrogate pay includes payments and benefits throughout her journey for reaching certain milestones, traveling, and more.
Professional Services. Professional services for your surrogate include legal and social work support. Each surrogate applicant is carefully screened by licensed professionals with Circle Surrogacy before being accepted into our program. Intended parents will also pay for their surrogate's independent legal counsel and life insurance.
Other Surrogate Expenses. Circle Surrogacy collects an average cost of expenses for your journey, which includes coverage for unexpected costs that can arise. These expenses include typical surrogate expenses during a journey (such as travel and lost wages, monthly stipend, maternity clothes, etc), as well as coverage for unanticipated expenses that may arise during the journey.
Our Journey Protection Guarantee Program includes fixed costs on the following:
• Professional Fees
• Gestational Carrier (i.e., surrogate) and Egg Donor Fees
• Pregnancy, Labor & Delivery Insurance
Circle Surrogacy offers fixed costs for all professional fees, gestational carrier and egg donor fees, medical and insurance expenses, and can connect you with IVF clinics that offer similar fixed price programs for IVF expenses. This means that Intended Parents will see one price at the beginning of their journey, and that is the price they can expect to pay – no surprises, no inflation, no last-minute extra costs.
Fixed Cost: Professional fees
Fixed cost for all professional fees, including: Matching, Screening, Legal, Accounting, Medical Billing and Re-matches.
What an agency fee covers.
Fixed Cost: Carrier and Donor expenses
Fixed cost for Carrier & Donor fees, including: Carrier & Egg Donor base fees, Travel, Bedrest, Local Monitoring, and Contingencies (e.g. C-section).
How surrogates are compensated.
Fixed Cost: Pregnancy, Labor & Delivery Insurance
Fixed cost for Medical & Insurance expenses, including: Premium/Gestational Carrier Payment, Maternity Insurance, Complications, Life Insurance, Insurance Defense, and Back-up Policy.
Read more about medical and insurance expenses.
Circle Surrogacy understands that surrogacy requires financial planning for many people, so we’ve worked hard to develop a competitive and fair financing option for intended parents who need assistance in securing the necessary funds.
Our exclusive financing plan enables intended parents to more easily afford surrogacy with low-APR loans.
Circle can help coordinate a multitude of options for insurance relating to your journey. We employ eight lawyers to help ensure parents receive proper coverage.
Circle Surrogacy & Egg Donation offers a variety of program options for intended parents who wish to grow their family with third-party reproduction. Our programs include:
• Surrogacy Only
• Surrogacy Plus Egg Donation
• Egg Donation Only
• Surrogacy with Your Own Surrogate
• Dual Journey
• Sibling Journey
We're happy to walk you through each of these programs to see which one is the best fit for your family-building needs.
As you consider parenthood, you may have questions along the way. Don't worry. With 25 years of experience, we've helped parents navigate surrogacy and their journeys to parenthood, and have answered almost every question out there!
For a full list of all Frequently Asked Questions by intended parents, click here.